In the last couple of weeks, I’ve recounted too many sweet and sumptuous stories that it’s beginning to look as if I have a charmed life, career-wise. But truth be told, I’ve also had my own fair share of journalism downsides. So much so that I’ve now come to the conclusion that life is indeed about the good, the bad and the ugly.
Today, however, I would like to share just one of those bad ones with you. Without meaning to brag or even blow my trumpet, the Almighty God has enabled me to interview most of the people on my list. I’m talking about those that I strongly desire to have an interview with – except a few.
And one of them is Mr. Tony Elumelu, the legendary businessman behind the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Transcorp Hilton and so on. Interestingly, till date, I still can’t fathom why, but the truth remains that I love Elumelu so much. His story, his style, his moves, his philanthropy, his humility, his business exploits and so on keep endearing him to me.
The clincher, however, was in 2009, when I lost my baby. One of his dependable staffers then, Mr. Charles Aigbe, got him to commiserate with me on phone. Every year also, Aigbe’s successor, Mr. Nasir Ramon Olanrewaju, has equally been getting in touch. So, I could have accessed him if I had really, really attempted. But going forward, I have promised myself that it will surely happen. Some day, somehow and somewhere.
Now, in the midst of all I had narrated above, very late, one unforgettable day in Abuja, at Transcorp Hilton, I was inside the lift, heading to the ground floor, when the lift suddenly paused on getting to one of the floors and guess who hopped in? Mr. Tony Elumelu, of course!
I instantly went dumb. I also wouldn’t know whether or not he noticed my surprise and confusion. But he greeted me and barely got any response as I was too dazed to even utter any word. In fact, I was just silently admiring him throughout the time we were together, and all alone, inside the lift, till we got to the ground floor and went our separate ways.
An incredible thing, as would be expected, happened as soon as we parted ways – I regained my senses and started asking myself, “Azuh, what did you just do now? How could you find yourself in the same lift with Elumelu without even asking one or two questions? To worsen matters, you couldn’t even utter a single word all the while you were together?”
That night’s inaction has been haunting me ever since, which I hope to remedy some day. How it would happen, like I said earlier, I don’t know yet. But whether it will, well, that one is guaranteed. First, with God, and also for as long as I don’t stop reviewing that night’s drama. And now ready to reverse whatever happened.
Remember also what the Holy Book says – once there is life, there is hope. Again, if you believe, you will triumph. So, I’m definitely going to triumph in this pursuit and for as long as I’m ready to keep pushing; never giving up, never getting tired and never getting weary of adorning my toga of optimism.
Failure, indeed, is never final while success, on the other hand, is a never-ending journey, to paraphrase that great American televangelist and bestselling author, Robert Schuller and that’s going to be my anchor till it happens.
Thanks so much for being with me today and please, let’s do it again next Saturday.
– Azuh is a journalist, bestselling author and publisher of YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine